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Overview

What image comes to mind when we hear the term grandparents? Too often it is the Norman Rockwell view of innocuous, kindly white-haired folk or, conversely, the negative stereotype of doddering dim-witted burdens confined to nursing homes. Unfortunately, such notions shortchange not only older people but younger generations as well, who may never realize how much grandparents have to offer. This informative, well-researched book aims to add some perspective and depth to the stick-figure images of grandparents promulgated by contemporary culture.Psychotherapist Ursula Falk and sociologist Gerhard Falk provide an illuminating overview of the many facets of being a grandparent in today's society. Among the topics discussed are the history of the grandparent role and its evolution, social forces that have affected the American family including grandparents, the distinctly different roles of grandmother and grandfather, the parental responsibilities that grandparents today are often forced to assume for their grandchildren in the absence of the children's parents, the ways in which other cultures treat grandparents, the usually negative and stereotypical depiction of grandparents in the media and in literature, and finally the supporting role that grandparents play with authentic examples. Also included is an appendix outlining the legal rights of grandparents.The authors stress that grandparents must be seen as individuals with their own lives to lead and that society needs to reassess the value of the elderly.

Ursula Adler Falk, Ph.D. (Kenmore, NY), is a psychotherapist in private practice and a nursing home consultant. She is the author of a number of books, including On Our Own: Independent Living for Older Persons.Gerhard Falk, Ph.D., is professor of sociology at the State University of New York College in Buffalo, NY, and the author of many books, including Stigma: How We Treat Outsiders.

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About the Author

Ursula Adler Falk, Ph.D. (Kenmore, NY), is a psychotherapist in private practice and a nursing home consultant. She is the author of a number of books, including On Our Own: Independent Living for Older Persons.Gerhard Falk, Ph.D., is professor of sociology at the State University of New York College in Buffalo, NY, and the author of many books, including Stigma: How We Treat Outsiders.

Editorial Reviews

Psychotherapist Ursula Falk and sociologist Gerhard Falk's Grandparents: A New Look at the Supporting Generation offers a refreshing take on grandparents. The authors contend that in the past century, grandparents' roles have changed dramatically, due to the rise of big government, the advent of the postindustrial age, increased longevity and a decline in fertility, among other factors. Grandparents are now more active and are often forced to assume parental responsibilities, yet they must deal with occasionally negative and stereotypical depictions of themselves in the media. The Falks' book attempts to eliminate these labels and make family members aware of grandparents' own individuality. (Aug. 31) Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

A timely topic does not always a good book make, and such is the unfortunate case of the Falks' consideration of the perceptions and potential roles of grandparents today (she's a psychotherapist, he a sociologist). In spite of having written several similar titles, both separately and together (Gerhard is the author of Stigma: How We Treat Outsiders; Ursula Adler wrote Ageism, the Aged and Aging in America), the discussions here (including grandparents in the context of history, current social change, and the media) are given too broad, often undocumented, less-than-original observations. In the authors' attempt to be culturally diverse they offer examples of grandparenting drawn from Filipino, African American, and Mexican cultures, among others scant, anecdotal evidence is presented in drawing conclusive statements. Moreover, the wooden style and awkward sentence structure throughout the work are distracting. This book cannot be recommended; more substantial alternatives include Daphne Joslin's Invisible Caregivers: Older Adults Raising Children in the Wake of HIV/AIDS, Geoff Dench's Grandmothers: The Changing Culture, and Lynne M. Casper's Continuity and Change in the American Family. Ellen D. Gilbert, Princeton, NJ Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

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